Chavismo sweeps regional and legislative elections in Venezuela

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council reported that the Chavista electoral alliance achieved a major victory in Sunday’s elections of national legislators and local officials

National Electoral Council - image via X

By Pablo Meriguet, People's Dispatch

Defying major disinformation and boycott campaigns by the right-wing opposition in Venezuela, 42.5% of the Venezuelan electorate went to the polls on Sunday, May 25, to elect members of the National Assembly, governors, and mayors.

In these elections, Chavismo secured a resounding victory over the opposition that did participate. The participating opposition obtained only 1 of the 24 governorships, specifically that of Cojedes state, where Alberto Galindez obtained 55.2% of the valid votes.

Several weeks ago, a part of the Venezuelan opposition, led by María Corina Machado, called for a boycott of the election, asking Venezuelans not to vote. This campaign is a recycled tactic of the far right opposition which seeks with a boycott to delegitimize Venezuelan democracy and accuse it of being fraudulent. In her X account, Machado wrote: “Venezuela disobeyed”, referring to the fact that abstention reached 85%. In a video, Machado again called on the armed forces to disavow the constituted power in Venezuela and thus “open the way to transition, in order and safety.”

However, the 42.5% rate of participation (5.5 million people) recorded by the National Electoral Council (CNE) debunks Machado’s claim. Elvis Amoroso, President of the CNE, stated: “We feel deeply proud of this day”.

Amoroso took the opportunity to thank the international observers for their presence and accompaniment during the electoral process: “We thank the international observers who are supporting the National Electoral Council, in the nation where there is the best electoral system in the world… Venezuela is an example for the world and we can show once again the strength of the CNE”.

Chavismo victory

The Great Patriotic Pole, the elector alliance led by United Socialist Party of Venezuela, PSUV, obtained, according to the CNE, 23 governorships and 82.68% of the valid votes in the election of national deputies, which assures them 40 national seats. At the same time, the opposition (divided in Alianza Democrática and Alianza UNTC) obtained 10 national seats in the next legislature, among which is Henrique Capriles, former presidential candidate, and former governor, one of the main opposition figures that advocates for participation in elections.

For his part, the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, affirmed that the Chavista project, which began in the beginning of the 21st century, is “Stronger than ever”. He also affirmed that the historical tendency of Chavismo to win popular elections is its greatest historical hallmark: “From victory to victory, from battle to battle. Always with humility. This victory is a gift from God for the Venezuelan people to meet again, to dialogue, and to have a common project as a country…and thus find concrete solutions to the problems of our country, of our people”.

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